Unfueled Flames: Book 2: The Burning Flame
by Phoenixflame of Thunderclan
Summary: Two moons after the death of Phoenixflame, a new litter of kits are born, and one bears her name and looks. Phoenixkit doesn't understand what her name means, but she still has to complete the prophecy given to the orange she-cat from before her, and understand the newest prophecy given to the clan, which may not even have anything to do with her...
1. Chapter 1 Phoenixkit

_**Wait! Have you read: The Phoenix of Thunderclan? If not, please go back and read it before reading this one. This is the second book in the series. If you have, go ahead and complete the tale...**_

Two furry bodies squirmed by me. I didn't know where I was, who I was, or what I was. I had no memories of anything. The day after I found myself in this place was the day my ears opened. Many noises flooded my senses, but after I finally got used to this, I could place the sounds to certain cats and things.

A soft thump was a warrior placing prey on the pile, the pitter patter sounds were pawsteps, but the most wonderful noise was the sound of voice. It wasn't just one sound, but many different ones, with different tones. Same as smells, this took some getting used to.

I heard two voices most often, and I could place who they belonged to. A deeper voice was my father, Longfur, and a somewhat higher voice is my mother, Goldenflower. Longfur padded in two days later. "Have you named them?" he asked.

Goldenflower purred, the most soothing sound in the world. "Only one, can you help me name the other two?"

"Of course," he purred back. He placed his tail on my sister. "How about, Orangekit?" He asked, placing his tail on my brother, he murmured, "and Brushkit."

"Orangekit and Brushkit," she agreed. "Send Bluestar in so I can tell her their names."

Silence for a few seconds until more pawsteps announced the arrival of another cat. "Yes, Goldenflower?"

"We've decided on their names."

"Good."

She gently prodded Orangekit, "Orangekit," next was Brushkit, "Brushkit," and when her paw touched my spine, I stiffened for a second, then relaxed. "And Phoenixkit."

Bluestar gasped. "She looks just like her," she murmured. "Hello, Phoenixkit."

At the sound of my new name, I stretched open my eyes for the first time. "Phoenixkit," I mewled quietly. "I am Phoenixkit now."


	2. Chapter 2 My Very Own Spirit Cat

By the next day, I was out of the nursery. Brushkit, I learned, was a dark brown tabby and Orangekit was a tawny colored tabby. Slowly, I stuck my nose out of the nursery. I heard something, gently encouraging me to step out of the densely woven bramble shell that protected me in my first few days. I followed to voice. Right outside, I saw a bright orange she-cat. She was gazing at me through dark blue eyes. "You're out," she purred.

I looked up at her in awe. I thought I had seen everyone since cats constantly came to see me. "Who are you?" I asked.

"It doesn't matter right now. For now, I have a message for Honeyscent."

I examined her more closely. "Are you a Starclan cat?" I asked.

She shrugged uncomfortably. "Not exactly. I don't live in Starclan with any other cats, nor do I live in the Dark Forest."

"Then where do you live?"

"Mostly hang around your mind. Even after a cat dies in Starclan, they can still live on through one's mind. That's where I live."

"Sounds lonely," I commented.

Her eyes dulled with deep regret. "It is."

Something about her seemed familiar. "Where you a queen?" I asked. Her stature and size reminded me of a cat who once had kits.

"Once," was all she replied. "Look, I can't stay here long, and only you can see me, so I must pass this message."

"Okay."

"Tell Honeyscent," she closed her eyes. _"Only the one with the heart of a flower can save the forest against a force even the strongest storms cannot stop."_

"Huh? What does it mean?"

"Just tell her!" She insisted.

I nodded. "Honeyscent!" I called, turning towards her den. When I looked back, the mysterious cat was gone. I charged towards Honeyscent's clearing. "Honeyscent!"

"Yes, Phoenixkit? Is there something wrong?" She asked, yawning as she padded out of her den.

"A cat came to me!" I told her excitedly. "And she said-"

"Wait, a _Starclan_ cat?"

"Yes, but she told me-"

"Coming to a kit? I've never heard such a thing."

"But Honeyscent!"

"No Phoenixkit," she growled. "I understand you're a kit, and you love to play games and all, but lying about a message-"

"I wasn't lying-"

She lifted her paw. "Lying about a message from Starclan is much too far."

"Honey-"

"Leave my den!"

Terrified, I bolted out of her den. My paws took me towards a large rock near one wall. I slipped behind a curtain of lichen, expecting to find bare rock to press against but it opened into a large cleft in the rock. "Phoenixkit?" A cat asked confusedly.

"I'm so sorry! I'll leave-"

"No, I can tell you want to say something important. Come here and get comfortable, tell me what's on your mind."

"I-"

"Bluestar!" A voice called from outside.

"Hold on, Lionheart!" she replied. "Now, Phoenixkit, what's wrong?"

"Honeyscent won't listen to me."

"Well, Phoenixkit, she's very busy."

"But it was a sign from Starclan!"

She seemed interested now. "Go on."

"I went outside the nursery and there was a cat there who told me-"

"Who was this cat?" Bluestar interrupted.

"I don't know, a bright orange she-cat, but she didn't say her name."

Bluestar looked solemn now. "Phoenixflame," she whispered.

I didn't know who Phoenixflame was. All I knew was that she died before I was born. "She said," I closed my eyes, remembering the cat's words. _"Only the one with the heart of a flower can save the forest against a force even the strongest storms cannot stop."_

"Heart of a flower?" she repeated. "The only flower I know is Phoenixflame's daughter, Lilyheart."

"Lily is a flower, heart is part of it. Do you think-"

"Let's not jump to conclusions. Why would Lilyheart be important, but not Comettail or Solarflare?"

"I don't know," I confessed.

She was silent for a second. "Thank you, Phoenixkit, go back to the nursery and this conversation and your talk with the Starclan cat are our little secret. Don't tell anyone else, got it?"

I didn't reply.

"Got it?" she pressed.

Reluctantly, I nodded. "Got it."


	3. Chapter 3 Rock You Like a Tornado

The next few days were spent by me padding around the camp idly. I would yawn, curl up beside Goldenflower and go on to dream land, were the mysterious cat would appear to me and tell me something, only for me to forget it when I awoke. The camp was abuzz when I woke up, so I went to see what all the hubbub was about. The sky was strangely dark gray, compared to the bright blue sky I was used to. Not even the sun could penetrate the layer of gray. Brushkit brushed against me, looking up and seeming astonished when he didn't see the sun.

"What is it?" he whispered.

Cats were hurrying back and forth, dropping various types of fresh-kill I have yet to learn about onto the pile. I spotted Longfur rushing towards us, Orangekit beside him. "There's a storm coming, and a bad one, we're preparing for the worst."

"That's what the gray stuff is, it carries storms," Orangekit chipped in.

Goldenflower walked over towards her mate, then scolded him like a silly apprentice for slowing down work. Longfur rolled his eyes and followed her out of the thorn tunnel and into the forest. Suddenly, something large and wet smacked against my back. I squeaked and jumped back. "What was that?" I cried.

"Rain," Addertail, who I met after coming out of the nursery, said. I didn't even know she was there. "How dull can you be?" she growled. "Rain comes down from the sky but don't worry," she added with a hiss, "Only a lot can kill you. It'll fill your lungs and cripple you from the inside out."

Terrified now of this new water, I raced back into the nursery and hid under my nest, Brushkit and Orangekit beside me. I heard someone outside telling her off, then they both left. The rain was pouring now. Goldenflower appeared for a brief moment to ensure us we were safe and to coax us out from under our nest. Later, she appeared again and allowed us to feed. When we were full and just about to fall asleep, Longfur burst in, his eyes wild. "Get them in a crack under the ravine, it's a twister," he gasped.

Immediately, Goldenflower grabbed Brushkit. Longfur grabbed Orangekit. "Phoenixkit, stay here," Goldenflower demanded. "We'll come back for you."

Scared, I crouched down and waited for them to come back for me. I heard something roaring outside, and at first I thought it was a twoleg monster. Then, it ripped the roof off of the once-strong nursery. I fled outside towards the thorn tunnel, nearly running into Goldenflower on her way to grab me. But now, invisible talons, strong and cruel, clung to my back and threatened to whisk me into the air with it.

"Phoenixkit!" she cried. "Hold on!"

"I can't!" I yowled back, the wind popping my ears and making it hard to hear. My claws tore at the ground in an attempt to hold on, but the wind continued to pull at me until it ripped the ground with it, and I spiraled into the swirling vortex.

 _"Phoenixkit!"_

I was in the air for a long time, but eventually, it dropped me onto the ground far below, and I landed with a dull _thump_. I ached all over. I heard anxious voices above me, but they seemed far off, and I felt myself being dragged across something cold and hard. The next morning, I was laying in a bed of feathers that poked at me on each side. The voices came again, but more understandable. "Hello, hello? Can you hear me?"

I opened my mouth to speak, and I was engulfed in pain, but I forced myself to speak despite the pain. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't turn my head, and my vision was bleary. "Yes."

"What's your name?"

I searched my memory. Everything was blank. I had no clue. "I-I-I'm not sure."

"Where are you from?"

"I don't know."

The other cat was silent for a second. "Now, you are in the Tribe of Rushing Water, and I'm Teller of the Pointed Stones, or Stoneteller. I think you may have amnesia, or memory loss. Either that, or you're just very ignorant."

Reluctantly, I asked, "Do you know what happened?"

"You were probably carried here by the tornado, dropped on your head, giving you amnesia. I can get Crag to tell you all of the details. Hey Crag!" he called. His raised voice made my headache worse.

A voice answered from deeper in. "Yes?"

"Answer this kit's questions but first," he added. "Treat it to some food, provided it can keep it down with it's injuries and fever." He turned to me. "Do you eat caught-prey yet? Or do you still drink milk?"

"I-I think I still drink milk," I stammered.

"Take her to Light of Rising Sun," he ordered Crag, "and from this day on, your name shall be, Flame of Phoenix's Wing."


	4. Chapter 4 Ignorance is Bliss

My name is Flame of Phoenix's Wing now. I didn't remember anything of before, so this is all I knew. Light of Rising Sun fed me, and I was on the road to becoming a cave-guard, due to my strong build. My best friends became Beak of Flying Eagle and Splash of Flowing River, Light's kits. They were both going to be prey-hunters. Beak was that silly friend that everyone needs. He could put a smile on the face of any cat, any time. Splash, on the other hand, was more reserved. She could make friends with only a few cats, but she was always playful around us.

Splash would tumble towards me, the playful gleam in her green eyes, and Beak would tackle us both, or Splash and Beak would be play-fighting and I would appear out of nowhere and send them spiraling down a path. But of course, my ignorance lasted only a little while, and soon, I was visited by a strange orange cat. "Phoenixkit!" she whispered in my ear. "Oh, Phoenixkit, was has happened to you." I was sleeping at the time, but now I opened my eyes to glance at her.

I looked over my shoulder and looked behind me. "Who are you talking to?"

"You."

I looked around again, then snorted. "Who is Phoenixkit?"

"You."

"No, I'm sorry, I think you have the wrong cat, I'm Flame of Phoenix's Wing."

"No, no, no, you are Phoenixkit."

"Who are you?"

"I'm you!" she exclaimed, exasperated.

I curled back into a ball. "No, you're insane, I'm me, not you, get out of here, or I'm gonna wake up Light."

"No, no no no, I'm Phoenixflame, you're Phoenixflame, we're the same!"

I growled. "No, you're nuts! Light!"

"No, quiet-" she cried.

"Flame?" Light murmured, half waking.

"There's-" I looked around. She was gone. "Never mind, I was dreaming."

"Okay, do you need to climb in my nest with me?" she asked. I glanced at her. Her nest was overflowing, Beak sprawled all over her flank while Splash was taking the rest of the space.

"No, I'm fine, thank you though."

"Okay, goodnight Flame."

"Goodnight Light."

I closed my eyes and I was swept up in a dream. There was a cat standing next to me, only her eyes visible through the misty area. I stepped back. "I told you to stay away from me!" I growled.

"What?" the cat looked confused. It wasn't Phoenixflame's voice.

"Who are you?" I asked, amazed to be visited by two different cats in one night.

"I'm Mapleshade, I realized you have some memory loss, well," she stretched each limb in turn. "I'm here to help with that."

"How?"

"First, you are not Flame of Phoenix's Wing."

"Why does everyone keep saying that?" I yelled. "Yes I am!"

"And that cat that visited you earlier," she continued as if I hadn't said anything. "is a Dark Forest cat, she will try to befriend you, then turn on you and turn you into fresh-kill, sorry, caught-prey," she corrected with a sneer. "Don't trust her a paw-length unless," she lifted a single paw. "you are a feather-brained traitor to your clan and tribe alike."

"Clan? I'm sorry, but why should I trust you over her? You won't even show yourself!"

"Because, I'm not tricking you. She did this to me, banished me to this vile place, and now she's gonna throw you here too." She looked me seriously in the eye. "Go back to your clan, follow the trail of the rising sun, go back and show who you really are." Her voice faded away, and the misty land went with it.

I opened my eyes. Suddenly, I remembered who I was. "I am Phoenixkit of Thunderclan," I whispered. "My mother is Goldenflower of Thunderclan, my father is Longfur of Thunderclan, and I have a brother, Brushkit, and a sister, Orangekit. Watch out Thunderclan, I'm coming back."

The next day, I was playing with Beak and Splash right outside the cave, exactly where we weren't supposed to be. Although I had regained my memory, I had decided to wait until I was older to make the journey back. Beak batted Splash out of his way onto me and we tumbled down the Path of Rushing Water onto the ground below. We were shrieking happily, not even realizing the danger we were just put in.

But Beak did.

"Guys, watch out!" he screeched, but his warning yowl came a second too late and was drowned out by a louder caw.

Pain flashed through my cheek as it's talons fastened into my face. Splash got away safely and was crouching by the cave entrance. "Someone help her!" she cried.

It let go of me for a second when I started to struggle, sliced a sharp, cruel claw all the way down my stomach from my chin to my tail, then grabbed me again and started to take flight. I was losing blood quickly, and all of the fight in me died until I was a dead-weight in the eagle's claws.

Everything else happened in a flash. I was high in the air, over the cave when Crag, who climbed to the roof of the cave, leaped onto it in a burst of tooth and claw. He was followed by Light of Rising Sun and Sun on Exposed Rock. My head flashed with memories of being carried in the air and being saved by a golden cat.

I smiled. Many other memories came to mind when I felt myself falling. I heard my friends screech my name and I heard the fall of the bird by me. I felt the flurry of feather cascading down from the dying eagle. But most of all, I felt the hot sticky blood clotted on my fur and the gash in my stomach, which was bleeding heavily, but the only of two wounds.

The ground hit me hard, and I was stunned by the impact before being thrown into a sucking, empty blackness.


	5. Chapter 5 We Have Failed You

"I'm sorry, Flame of Phoenix's Wing. I have failed you." Someone spoke. I was asleep, my head stuck in the never-ending waves of unconsciousness. "There is nothing we can do now. You are on your way to the Tribe of Endless Hunting."

"But Stoneteller!" Someone exclaimed. "You can't give up on her that easily! Please save her!"

Stoneteller's voice was sad and depressed. "But Light, I _have_ tried everything. Almost every one of her bones are broken, and her stomach wound won't stop bleeding." His voice dropped. "It's infected now, and she is in a fever-induced coma. There is nothing that can help her now. The Tribe of Endless Hunting is taking her home."

The voices began to fade in the background and I found myself standing up. I felt no pain, and the raging fever was gone. In fact, everything was gone. The cave was completely empty except for two cats. One was on the ground, laying in a small red puddle as blood sluggishly seeped from it's belly. The color of it's pelt was unable to be made out because of the blood sticking to it's pelt. It was still very young, hardly half the size of the second cat, who was a bright orange she-cat. Her blue eyes dark with despair as she stood over the dying cat.

Neither of them realized I was there, so I crept closer for a better look. The second cat was old enough to be a cave-guard, her build stocky like the cat in front of her. It was Phoenixflame. Her head was bowed to the kit's flank. "Oh, Phoenixkit, what has happened to you?"

Now, Phoenixflame looked up at me. She stood and prowled up to me, her gait sophisticated and proud. She stopped in front of me, looking closely into my eyes. "Phoenixkit," she began. "Starclan is calling you."

"Calling me? Am I..." _dead._ I couldn't bring myself to finish the question.

"No, not yet. I won't let them take you yet." She shook her head. "You have to great of a destiny ahead of you."

"I... I do?" I stammered.

"Yes, Phoenixkit, and that is why I am here, to help finish the prophecy of the phoenix, and to take you back to your _real_ home, Thunderclan." She stepped forward and rested her muzzle on my head.

I turned my gaze to the cat on the ground. I felt close to it. Like I related to it. Slowly, I stood. Phoenixflame watched, but didn't speak as I stepped to her, closed my eyes, and fell into her position on the ground, and I found myself struggling for consciousness. My vision was horribly blurry and everything hurt. All I could hear was the sound of my ears ringing. I was completely paralyzed, and fever racked my body.

I heard voices above me, and two fuzzy shapes appeared in front of me. "Light! Light! She's awake!" I recognized Splash's thrilled voice.

"Flame! You're alive!" Beak squeaked happily, nudging me with his muzzle, attempting to get me to stand.

I moaned and whined with pain at the touch of his paw. "Stop it! You're hurting her!" Splash cried.

He leaped back, guilt pulsing off of him. "I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry! Are you okay?"

Not able to respond and feeling exhausted, I closed my eyes and let myself fall into sleep. I woke again the next morning, my vision clearer and my head less fuzzy. Stoneteller was sitting by me, sorting through several piles of leaves, berries, stems, and roots. The most noise I could make was a squeak, so I did to alert him.

He looked up from his work, alarmed, then realizing it was me, he went back to his herbs. "How are you?" he asked gently, pulling a shriveled leaf out with one claw and sniffing it, before placing it in another pile.

I couldn't respond, so I squeaked again. He looked up at me again. "How about, one squeak for yes or good, and two for no or bad."

I squeaked once.

He nodded. "Now, how are you doing?"

One squeak.

"Are you feeling better?"

A hesitant two squeaks.

"I mean, then you were?"

One squeak.

"Do you hurt?"

One squeak.

"One squeak for everywhere, two for just one or two parts."

One squeak.

Stoneteller smiled. "I can communicate with you! Okay, are you thirsty?"

I quickly squeaked once. My throat was as dry as a Thunderpath.

"Hungry?"

Two squeaks. If anything, I felt very nauseous. I probably couldn't eat if I wanted to.

"Okay, Light!" he called. "Can you get Flame some water?"

Light quickly dashed to one side of the cave, dipped a small wad of moss into a small pool and bringing it to me. I reached with my neck and pushed my muzzle into it to drink. As I struggled to keep it down, she lightly ran her tail over my flank and tossed the ball outside the cave. Next, Stoneteller shoved some leaves in front of my face.

"Swallow them," he ordered.

I squeaked twice.

He shook his head. "No, no, that's an order, Flame. You eat these right now! I finally got your stomach wound patched up, now I need to take care of that fever of yours."

Groaning inwardly, I nibbled at the herbs. In the end, I ended up retching them up again anyway. Stoneteller sighed. "How can I help you if you can't keep herbs, or anything for that matter, down?" he sounded exasperated. "How can I not even save you, our newest kit? Oh Flame, I'm so sorry, but this is a battle you have to fight alone."

 _Battle I fight alone?_ I thought. _That sounds more like a prophecy more than anything how he said that._ Maybe it is. Did it have to do with the Lily Prophecy? Perhaps..

 _Now,_ I shook my head as I thought. _Now that is me turning insane. Of course it wasn't a prophecy! Of course it doesn't have anything to do with the Lily Prophecy.._ Or does it?


	6. Chapter 6 Under the Light of Starclan

_**Oh my God! I'm so sorry I haven't updated in so long! I've been concentrating on other stories, so I just posted this chapter, even though it's probably gonna be a bit short, so hopefully I can get into the groove of things again. Once again, I'm so sorry, but hey, better than I've done lately, eh?**_

"Stoneteller! Something's wrong with Flame!" Someone called above my head. Fast pawsteps announced the arrival of at least another cat.

"Light," the other cat murmured quietly. "There's been something wrong with her, ever since that eagle attacked, she hasn't been able to keep anything down. I've tried and tried, but I'm afraid there is nothing we can do." His voice dropped lower, though it echoed and pounded inside my ears and I had no problem hearing it. "She is practically walking with the Tribe of Endless Hunting now..."

Their conversation faded into nothingness as I found myself in a small black void. A single, dispirit voice sounded weakly into my ears. "Phoenixkit! No!"

Ahead of me, I saw, well, more _felt_ than saw, a bright light. It was a warm golden, and soothing to my aching eyes. Slowly, pawstep by pawstep, I found myself walking towards it. Behind me, I heard something. A shuffle of paws, perhaps? I turned.

"Pho- Phoenixflame?" I asked shakily.

She dipped her head. "Phoenixkit," she murmured, her voice deep with regret. "You have a very important choice to make. I cannot help you anymore, from now on, this will be your choice. Will you stay?" I opened my mouth to tell her of course I would when she interrupted me. "Remember, the choice to continue living will be a tough one, but well rewarded later on. The choice to let go will be easy, but you may have regrets later on, as the clans are doomed without your prophecy." Her voice dropped even lower. "Without our prophecy," she whispered.

I turned, looking into the deep blackness that was life. Few voices echoed from it, to quiet to hear. I turned back to the light, where many friendly voices sounded. I took a deep breath, and made my way into the abyss. Suddenly, I felt wind blow harder than I've ever felt it before, tugging at my fur and making each pawstep feel like moons. I heard voices from somewhere ahead, and I could just make them out.

"Travel safely to the Tribe of Endless Hunting. May you have courage in death as you did in life."

 _No!_ I pushed harder against the wind.

"Goodbye, Flame of Phoenix's Wing."

Seconds later, I felt myself sucking fresh air into my lungs. There was a gash along my stomach again, but it was more uncomfortable than painful, and I squirmed restlessly, my paws itching to move. I felt no sickness or fear anymore though.

"She's alive!" I heard someone cry, recognizing Light's voice. "My sweet kit!"

"No," I gasped. Then I was silent for a few moments as my heartbeat steadied. "I'm not your kit."

She was silent with shock, then she realized what I meant. "Who are they?" she whispered.

"Goldenflower and Longfur and Thunderclan," I said, struggling to my paws.

"It's a miracle from the Tribe of Endless Hunting!" Stoneteller exclaimed.

"And this isn't my home." I examined the bare, stone mountains. "I'm a forest cat, not a mountain cat, and I should go home. _My_ home, not here."

Stoneteller gently rested his muzzle on my head. "Flame, you are but a kit, how do you expect to travel to the forest? It's much safer if you wait until you have the strength to do so."

"No," I muttered, surprising myself. "It is something I must do now," looking up, I added, "Starclan and the Tribe of Endless Hunting shall watch over me." _And Phoenixflame..._

His gaze was cautious for many moments before bowing his head. "I cannot stop you."

"But you must!" Light blurted out. "She'll die out there!"

Stoneteller turned to look at her, his gaze knowing. "She already has died, Light of Rising Sun, but is she not standing before us now?"

She was silent.

"May the blessings of the Tribe follow you," he murmured.

Beak and Splash ran up to me, touching there noses to mine. "I'll miss you, Flame," they chorused.

"I'll miss you guys, too, but this is something I _must_ do."

"Flame, do you know where to go now?"

"Yes," I answered. "I will know the way. And I will leave immediately, so I can get to the edge of the territory before sundown."

"How do you know," Stoneteller asked. "You've never left the cave, other than right outside."

I turned my gaze to his, and locked him with a steady stare. "Because I've gone the path before."


	7. Chapter 7 The Return of Him

"Can we stop yet?" I gasped, trying to climb over the rock in my way. Phoenixflame was close behind me, nudging me along, her touch warm like sunshine yet cold like the starry nights at the same time.

"Not yet," she murmured, her blue gaze sympathetic. "We should almost be-"

"Well well well. Welly well well well. Welly well, welly well. Welly welly well. What have we here?" I nearly jumped out of my fur at the sound of a cat's voice. I hid behind Phoenixflame's starry back. Even Phoenixflame, being a spirit and all, bristled at the older cat.

It was a dark tabby with green eyes. His ears were pricked instead of flattened back and he was about Phoenixflame's size except a bit... heavier. Phoenixflame observed the tom for a second before flattening her fur and waving her tail dismissively. "This is what I was afraid of."

His eyes gleamed. "Well I'd be dipped, is that you, Phoenixpaw?"

I looked at Phoenixflame. She rolled her eyes. "Tigger," she muttered. "An old frie-er, enem- er," she flicked her ear. "I knew him."

"No," I chirped. "I'm Phoenixkit!"

"I think you're talking about me, Tigger?" she asked, obviously not happy seeing him.

"Oh, yes! There ya are! So, you need some refreshments?"

She sighed. "No, Tigger."

"Video game time?"

"No," she said, a bit more irritably.

"Come on," he butted her in the shoulder. "I found a great new game."

"No."

"It's called 'Undertale', ever heard of it?"

"Look! Tigger! We're just passing through, and-"

"S'what you said last time," he waved his tail. "And yet here you are again."

"Shouldn't you be in twolegplace?" she growled.

He seemed a bit hurt. "I roam into the outskirts of the mountains sometimes. I'm not _that_ much of a video-" he broke off, then nodded. "Nevermind, I am. But hey, first time for everything." Before I could take another step forward, he scooped me up in his jaws.

"Looks like we have to. Come on, Phoenixkit," the starry she-cat sighed. Next thing I knew, I was being swung almost carelessly by this insane cat hopping much like a hare, his tail waving. And after that... another cave. There was a ledge in the very middle of the back wall, but other than that, the two gray and brown walls looked identical. There was a small opening off to one side, also, which is where he bounced into.

As soon as he entered the gap my eyes were flooded with several colors of pinks, blues, reds, and greens. In the center was a large tree I was pretty sure was a pine. Under it were several colorful boxes. "Merry Christmas, or Happy Holidays, or whatever you say nowadays."

In one corner, there was a small white rectangle, and next to that was a blue mass and a silver and black rectangle that was almost split in half looking and open slightly. He dropped me and took a flying leap into the mass and grabbing the silver and black thing, opening it fully and touching his claws on the lines and symbols on the bottom.

"This is my laptop," he explained. "I play games on it." He continued to type away.

Curiosity got the best of me. "What are you playing? Cats and mice?"

He laughed. "Oh no, little kit, it's much better than any of that. Look," he turned it towards me. "This top thing here, see," he wiggled the top of the 'laptop'. "is the screen. This thing on the screen is-" suddenly, he was cut off by a collection of sounds and notes playing from it. He jumped. "Dang it, Sans!"

He shoved it away, and watched for a moment as it slid into a large rectangle (I realized there were a lot of rectangles) made of wood. Several smaller rectangles (yay!) lay inside of it, all closed. "What are those?"

"Books," he murmured, hooking one on his claws and flipping though it. "My favorite series ever! Warrior: Power of Three." He slipped into the blue mass again. "I soooooo ship JayMoon."

"What's-"

"ANYWAY!" He grabbed a thing I couldn't even begin to describe what it looked like or even how he held it and shoved it in my paws. "It's an Xbox, I have Don't Starve up. Wanna play?"

Shrugging, earning an exasperated moan from Phoenixflame, I moved the stick on one side of the thing, which he called an "Xbox controller" and, with his instructions, picked a weird looking shiny twoleg looking thing. He smiled. "You, are now a robot, grats," then walked out of the room before I could ask any more questions.

He came back a few moments later typing away at yet ANOTHER rectangle in his paws. "What are you doing NOW?"

"On Fanfiction," he smirked. "Favorite website ever. I even have a Warriors fanfiction," he giggled like a little girl. "It's a JayMoon fic."

After two more seconds of that he was back on the laptop and once again screaming, "No, YOU get dunked on, Sans! Screw you, screw you, bud."

Phoenixflame was practically bashing her head against the cave wall. "Phoenixkit," she muttered.

"Hold on," I told her. "I just wanna check something out!"

"You've been checking out stuff FOREVER now!"

"Just a little forever!" I replied sweetly.

"Hey Cas, whatcha doing?" I heard a voice call through the cave. Curious again, I poked my head out to see a gray-blue cat with green eyes, glowing blue in the dark, and faint rings on his tail. "Oh, got more guests? Hi! I'm Smokey! But my friends/owners call me Mokers, Mr. Mokers, Tunkers, Tubbers, Fuzzers, Ring Tail, Not-Very-Bright-Cat..."

Phoenixflame bent down and whispered a, "He's as bad about nicknames as Tigger is."

"OH MY GOD SANS YOU FRIGGING JERK!" Came from the hollow Tigger was in as if in reply.

"So, where are you from and going to?"

"Tribe of Rushing Water," I told him. "The cats that live on the mountains. And I'm going to my home, Thunderclan."

His gaze darkened, and he looked away.

"W-what's wrong?"

When he looked back, his gaze was serious. "Because I used to live in Thunderclan." He puffed out his chest, revealed a small crest of longer fur down to his belly. "And my name was Pantherpelt."


	8. Chapter 8 Mapleshade

Beside me, I felt Phoenixflame stiffened, and she slowly disappeared from sight next to me. "Phoenixflame?" I hissed.

 _"I'm here,"_ I heard here murmur in the back of my mind.

"What's wrong?"

 _"Pantherpelt...I..."_

"What's wrong?" I repeated.

"In fact," Smokey was saying. "You kind of look like her."

"Like who?" I asked shakily.

"Phoenixpaw," he snarled, his eyes flashing. "The coward who ran away after killing my mother."

A painful burst of memory appeared before my vision, making me almost fall over. Of a starlit tortoiseshell she-cat, of a pair of glowing amber eyes, but the cat behind them remaining unseen, of blood spreading in a puddle around unsheathed claws, of the fierce satisfaction of killing. _Phoenixflame! You're a murderer!_

 _"Phoenixkit... I'm sorry. I didn't want to break it to you like this."_

 _Why?_ I demanded.

 _"I... I did what I thought was right."_

 _Tell me, right now, what made you think killing another cat was right._

 _"I was on patrol with two cats from our clan, Fluffstorm and Orangestripe. They... I... they were killed by a fox. I nearly died, but Starclan sent me back. Li- Pantherpelt's mother and Mapleshade were there... Mapleshade convinced me to k-kill her. And n-now-"_

 _ **"Oh, sweety, your not telling it right,"**_ Purred a voice behind my ear.

 _"Oh, Starclan no! Mapleshade, what are you doing here!?"_

 _ **"Hush now,"**_ she cooed, followed by a dreadful snarling.

 _"Phoenixkit! Don't worry about this! I'll take care of her!"_

 _But, Phoenixflame!_

She didn't reply, and before I knew it, I was pushing past Smokey and out of the cave, fleeing as fast as my paws would take me. There was another bout of growling and the sound of muscles against ground, and then silence. _Phoenixflame?_

 _"...I...I'm here, Phoenixkit,"_ I heard a faint coughing.

 _Are you okay?_

 _"I've been better."_

I heard paws behind me. "Wait! You haven't tried cheesecake!" Tigger's yowled.

 _"Don't stop!"_ Phoenixflame begged.

 _I wasn't going to,_ I replied simply.

Finally, the footsteps faded into the distance, and I tripped over my own paws into a tree, forcing me to stop. _Phoenixflame, are you sure you're okay?_

 _"Huh? Oh, I'm fine, Phoenixkit. Just keep going."_

 _Then show yourself already._

 _"I... I can't..."_

 _What do you mean?  
_

 _ **"Is this who I've been in the mind of? Adorable now."**_

 __ _"I just can't, alright, Phoenixkit?"_

Exhausted, I sat down with a _thump_. _I'm hungry!_ I complained.

 _"Tough,"_ Phoenixflame growled.

Growling, I fell into the dust, tiredly licking at my fur. After I was finished, I opened my mouth. Even though I didn't know much, I might get lucky and find something to eat. Afterall, I had seen Phoenixflame hunt for me enough times.

Finally, I found the trail of a mouse. With my nose to the ground, I tracked it under a bramble bush. Nose twitching, I crouched, took a few paces forward, waggled my haunches and sprang. Unfortunately, I landed face-first in the brambles and was caught in the thorns. _Huh? Wha'?_ I wiggled, and noticed I was stuck. _Phoenixflame! A little help here?_

 _ **"For crying out loud, Phoenixflame, will you**_ **please** _ **fix this?"**_

 __There was an audible sigh of relief from the flame-pelted warrior and I felt myself being tugged from the brambles by invisible paws. Before I even knew it, I was out, not a pricker in my fur, and the mouse dead by my paws. "Phoenixflame?"

Silence.

 _Phoenixflame?_

 _"I'm here."_

 _ **"So am I,"**_ Mapleshade purred.

"Okay," I said aloud, sniffing the dead mouse. It smelled like the night sky, not any more like the flavors of the forest. I bent down and nibbled at it, but surprising me, it tasted better than a normal mouse, and I gulped it down. _Thank you, Phoenixflame._

Afterward, I settled down and decided to finally rest my exhausted eyes and paws and sleep a bit. I didn't dream, luckily, and woke the next morning to find the bones of the mouse gone. Sniffing curiously at the spot they were, I licked my lips.

The sun was high in the sky, and I decided to set off back towards Thunderclan. After all, it can't be _that_ far to Thunderclan. In the distant, I spotted Highstones and set my mind towards there. _Right?_

 _"Sorry, busy right now,"_ she apologized.

Growling, I set off towards Highstones anyways. Suddenly, as though echoing through my mind, I heard a third voice. **"** _Mapleshade! End this at once!"_ The voice demanded.

 _Who are you?_

 _"My name is Lickingflame,"_ The voice replied. _"Mapleshade! Leave this kit alone!"_

 _"Lickingflame?"_ Phoenixflame asked, her voice shocked. _"Y-you're still alive!"_

 _"Mapleshade isn't the only one who can fake death,"_ She replied simply.

 **"** _ **Ooh, now we have two against one. Little kit, who do you think you can believe? The enemy of an old enemy? The friend of an old friend? Come now, answer me. Don't be shy.**_ **"**

 _Phoenixflame?_ I whimpered.

 _"You just focus on getting home,"_ the orange spirit she-cat answered. _"Lickingflame and I got this. Right, Lickingflame?"_

 _ **"You all are so foolish! Do you really think I can be defeated by you two? The Dark Forest is many, but Starclan is weak. That pathetic kit was able to kill you, Lickingflame, was she not?"**_

 _"She didn't kill me! She killed me as much as she killed you. You and I both know what we did._ "

Suddenly, I could make out the orange pelt of Phoenixflame next to me. Her shoulder fur was parted by a deep red gash than ran from her shoulder blade to the bottom of her paw. "Phoenixflame! You're hurt!"

"It's nothing, Phoenixkit," she coughed again, bending down to pick me up by the scruff. "Come on, let's get to Highstones. Thunderclan will be waiting for us."

 _ **"Is that what you think? Oh dearie, you poor, poor kit. Thunderclan was waiting for me too!"**_ Slowly, a ginger tortoiseshell she-cat solidified beside me.

Phoenixflame's fur bushed up, and she took a threatening step towards the she-cat. "Mapleshade," she hissed. "Get back if you know what's good for you."

However much I expected to see her slice her other leg opened, Mapleshade simply fixed the starry warrior with a glare of pure hatred and disappeared from view. Phoenixflame sighed. "Come on, Phoenixkit. Let's get home."


End file.
